Creating a legacy
for Cleveland’s
AsiaTown
We want to bring a landmark to Cleveland's AsiaTown!
Many of the old Chinatown neighborhoods in the US have traditional gates that provide a visual identity and an anchor.
Cleveland’s AsiaTown is home to a diverse population of over 2,000 residents including Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Japanese, Thai, Hmong and more.
Our mission is to create a modern set of gates that represent our community that will be landmarks for our great neighborhood.
Our partnership with the Cleveland Institute of Art
We partnered with MidTown CDC and the Cleveland Institute of Art to create some concepts for the Asiatown Landmark. For the Spring 2022 semester of Interior Design class, students were assigned a project to do a site visit to AsiaTown and create concepts for sculptural work.
Modern Gates concept by CIA Student Marianne Butkowski
One of the student concepts that stood out to us was for modern gates. We think they evoke the feeling of traditional Chinatown gates, providing a dramatic entry to the neighborhood and have a distinctive modern look. See Marianne’s full presentation here.
Rendering of modern gates at Payne Ave and East 30th Street. Image by Marianne Butkowski
Rendering at night at Payne Ave and East 30th Street. Image by Marianne Butkowski
Rendering with fabrication notes from Cooper Carry, architects.